Paint can holder



1 1966 A. J. TREUTLER PAINT CAN HOLDER Filed April 29, 1963 Jan. 4

INVENTOR. ALBERT J. TREUTLER United States Patent 3,221,411 PAINT CAN HOLDER Albert J. Treutler, 4805 Franklin St., Omaha, Nebr. Filed Apr. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 276,236 2 Claims. or 24s 210 This invention relates to paint can holders that are adapted to be secured toladders, and more particularly it is an object to provide a holder which can be easily moved from one rung to another.

Still another object is topr oyide a paint can holder that ear; be manufactured with" the fewest possible parts and of the fewest possible manufacturing steps for reduction in the high cost of labor. y i

Still another object is to provide a holder of the rail mounted type which requires a minimum amount of material cost by making use of a band clamp for clamping the bandcagainst the sides of the can itself.

Still another object is to provide a holder having a readily releasable paint can holding clamp.

A particular object is to provide a holder having a bracket portion which is loosely received on a ladder rail and rested on a rung in such a way that the holder and paint can can be readily moved from one ladder rung position to another rung position by simple lifting motion free of any necessity to unclamp from the rail for gaining rapid mobility.

Devices for supporting .paint buckets in a manner such that they can swing have resulted in spilled paint because of the relative unstability of the bucket at times when paint bristles are stroked out against the paint can rim in order to remove excess paint. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a paint can holder which achieves the other objects set forth herein and yet affixes the paint can to the ladder for stability and for safety against spillage.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claims, the scope of the invention not being limited to the drawings themselves as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a way in which the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a ladder with a paint can supported thereon by means of the paint can holder of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is atop plan view of the holder as it would be seen from above in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the holder as it would be seen from the bottom in FlFURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a view of the holder as it would be seen from the left in FIGURE 2.

The paint can holder of this invention is adapted for use on a ladder generally indicated at having rungs or steps 12 which are spaced apart one above the other.

The can holder has a mounting bracket 20 which forms a part thereof and which latter has inner and outer side members 24 and 26 respectively which are spaced apart for loosely receiving .therebetween one of the rails 30 of the ladder, the looseness of fit on the rail 30 gaining a ready removal of the'bracket 20 on the rail 30.

An inner side member 24 has a foot 36 on its forward side and extending downwardly therefrom for the purpose of extending downwardly on the forward side of a ladder step or rung 12. r

The inner side portion 24 of the bracket is preferably provided with a notch 40 in its under surface for defining 3,227,411 Pa n d Jan- 4, 1966 the foot 26 for defining another foot 42 which is received on the rearward side of a ladder rung or step 12,

The bracket 20 has a rearward portion 5t) interconnecting the side members 24 and 26 and adapted to engage a tc wars ide 5% f e e sstive i 3!? i I is refe bl hat h b ds? ra ia 24 6 nd 50 be formed te al a a sl Pl b into a t a l Usher Th nverter! furt er sam i es a a da p a b ene a l ins i a ed a 45 The la s s 6 tan ia annu a in sh e a s en i ta la View and ha nner al a d es a arm-al a1 pa can ce in enin .6 92st di s assh he band l m e by h he band c amp 60 i h ene about the s de o a a n ca .0 as sea? i URE 1 the P n an i firml h l l The band clam a semb 6 s a a portion 68 whish is arms-t 9 exibl m te ia d i P fe y formed of a resilient metal with sufficient stiffness to hold ts sha e but ith sutt s e t flexib l t to erm it t b drawn about the side of the can 70 at times and at other times to permit it to release the can 70.

The band 62 has a fixed end portion attached to the outer side portion 26 of the bracket 20. The band 62 has a free and movable end 70 which latter has a fixed section 72 of a releasable interlocking assembly 74- attached to its outer side. The releasable locking assembly 74 further includes a fixed section 76 which latter is attached to the bracket 20 at its interconnecting portion 50.

The fixed portion 7 6 of the interlocking assembly 74 is preferably integrally formed with the interconnecting portion 56 and is in the form of a hook facing away from the free end 70 of the band 62, the portion '76 being formed by being struck integrally out of the metal of the portion 50 leaving an opening as seen at 80.

It is significant that as seen in FIGURE 4, a flat forward surface of the interconnecting portion 50 of the bracket 20 is disposed in a plane tilted forwardly at its upper end with respect to its lower end, forming an acute angle with respect to the vertical which is substantially the angle at which a ladder rail is disposed when the ladder is in use inclinedly against a vertical wall.

The position of the inner wall 68 of the band 62 is vertical at times when the surface 90 is inclined as described for supporting a can vertically in normal ladder use positions. These comparative positions are achieved through the attachment of the band portion 62 to the side portion 26 in a desired relationship.

The moveable section 72 of the interlocking assembly 74 can be a toggle as shown with the handle and loop 112 attached thereto and receivable in the hook or fixed interlocking portion 76.

In operation it will be seen that a can can be placed in the device, the toggle or moveable portion 72 of the interlocking device 74 placed in clamping position for securely holding to side of the paint can. Then the paint can can be removably attached to the ladder by simply placing the bracket 20 around the rail 52 such as a notch in the bracket 20 loosely receives the rail 52.

The advantage after painting proceeds is that the operator can move the bucket and bracket together to a higher rung by a simple lifting motion rapidly and freely without any need to unclamp anything from the rail 52.

It will be seen that as thus described this invention has fulfilled the objectives set forth above and in providing a surprisingly inexpensive and effective paint can holder.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a paint can holder constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

I claim:

1. A paint can holder having a mounting bracket having inner and outer side members spaced apart for receiving a ladder rail therebetween, the inner one of said side members having a forward foot extending downwardly therefrom for extending downwardly on the forward side of a ladder step, said bracket having a rearward portion interconnecting said side members and adapted to engage a forward side of a respective rail, 2. band clamp attached to said bracket, said band clamp being annular and having an inner wall defining a normally vertical paint can receiving circular opening therethrough, whereby when said band clamp is tightened about the side of a paint can the paint can is firmly held, said flexible band clamp being substantially disposed adjacent the outer side of the outer one of said side members so that a paint can will hang in use alongside a ladder at the outer side of the respective said ladder rail, said flexible band clamp having a band portion having a free end and a fixed end, said fixed end of said flexible band clamp being attached to the outer one of said side members, said flexible band clamp having two releasable and separate interlocking portions one of which is attached to the rearward interconnecting portion of said bracket and the other of which is attached to the free end of said band, said band clamp being of the toggle type so as to facilitate the rapid and easy insertion of a paint can into said band while said clamp is in released position.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which that one of said interlocking sections which is fixed to said bracket is in the form of a hook, formed integrally with said bracket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,294,854 2/1919 Welter 248313 2,409,253 10/1946 Chris 248-313 3,052,442 9/ 1962 Rankin 2482l0 3,104,859 9/1963 Hoelzel 248313 X CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner. 

1. A PAINT CAN HOLDER HAVING A MOUNTING BRACKET HAVING INNER AND OUTER SIDE MEMBERS SPACED APART FOR RECEIVING A LADDER RAIL THEREBETWEEN, THE INNER ONE OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS HAVING A FORWARD FOOT EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM FOR EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY ON THE FORWARD SIDE OF A LADDER STEP, SAID BRACKET HAVING A REARWARD PORTION INTERCONNECTING SAID SIDE MEMBERS AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A FORWARD SIDE OF A RESPECTIVE RAIL, A BAND CLAMP ATTACHED TO SAID BRACKET, SAID BAND CLAMP BEING ANNULAR AND HAVING AN INNER WALL DEFINING A NORMALLY VERTICAL PAINT CAN RECEIVING CIRCULAR OPENING THERETHROUGH, WHEREBY WHEN SAID BAND CLAMP IS TIGHTENED ABOUT THE SIDE OF A PAINT CAN THE PAINT CAN IS FIRMLY HELD, SAID FLEXIBLE BAND CLAMP BEING SUBSTANTIALLY DISPOSED ADJACENT THE OUTER SIDE OF THE OUTER ONE OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS SO THAT A PAINT CAN WILL HANG IN USE ALONGSIDE A LADDER AT THE OUTER SIDE OF THE RESPECTIVE SAID LADDER RAIL, SAID FLEXIBLE BAND CLAMP HAVING A BAND PORTION HAVING A FREE END AND A FIXED END, SAID FIXED END OF SAID FLEXIBLE BAND CLAMP BEING ATTACHED TO THE OUTER ONE OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS, SAID FLEXIBLE BAND CLAMP HAVING TWO RELEASABLE AND SEPARATE INTERLOCKING PORTIONS ONE OF WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE REARWARD INTERCONNECTING PORTION OF SAID BRACKET AND THE OTHER OF WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE FREE END OF SAID BAND, SAID BAND CLAMP BEING OF THE TOGGLE TYPE SO AS TO FACILITATE THE RAPID AND EASY INSERTION OF A PAINT CAN INTO SAID BAND WHILE SAID CLAMP IS IN RELEASED POSITION. 